Faded Memories
by Mychand
Summary: Caitlin finds out that all is not as it seems when it comes to the loss of her old friends.
1. Chapter 1

While, I've written other fanfiction, this is my first shot at Airwolf. This story takes place after season three and has some reference to the first episode of season four. Beyond, that season four doesn't exist in my "world".

**Faded Memories**

The weather was beautiful and the landing was smooth. Caitlin assisted her passengers with their luggage and helped them into the awaiting taxi. She was tired. It was Friday and she was finally going to take a few days off and get the rest she felt she deserved.

Recently, Caitlin and her cousin Stacey had started their own air charter service in North Florida. While she liked owning her own company, she longed for more excitement. She missed it. She missed them. She didn't let herself think about them much these days. It was too painful. Missing Dom's funeral was the worst. Her own mother had been ill and she couldn't leave her. She wanted to go back there and pay her respects, but she couldn't bring herself to do it.

The sun was going down when she finally walked into the tiny office. Stacey was sitting at her desk finishing up some paperwork.

Caitlin plopped down in the chair beside her. "I'm so beat!" she said. "I'm ready to head home. That last flight was a breeze but I had very little sleep last night."

"Well, you'd better get some energy real quick," replied Stacey. "You have visitor."

"I do? Who is it?" Caitlin tried to hide her excitement. She didn't know too many people in Florida and any new visitor was a welcome site.

"He said his name is Doc. Real cute guy. How come you've never mentioned him before?" Stacey asked.

"Where is he?" Caitlin stood up and looked out the window. "I didn't see anyone outside."

Stacey stacked her paperwork in the out box on her desk and pushed in her chair. "He said he'd meet us at Cameron's Bar and Grill in an hour. He was pretty confident that you'd want to meet up with him. I figured you'd want time to go home and freshen up first."

The girls stopped by their apartment to change and headed up to the bar. Caitlin was unusually quiet and Stacey still had questions for her. "So, you never answered my question before. Who exactly is this guy?"

Caitlin smiled. "He's just an old friend, really. Someone I met when I lived in California. I guess you could say we had mutual friends. I haven't seen him in a long time. Did he say why he's here?"

"He just said he really needed to talk to you." She replied. "You like this guy?"

Caitlin laughed, "No miss match maker. This one is just a friend. I've never thought of him as being my type."

"Girl, your type is getting harder and harder to find. You need to be a little less picky."

By the time the girls got to the bar, Doc had reserved them a small table that overlooked the beach. Caitlin was surprised at how happy she was to see him. It had been over a year and a half since they had gotten together at Hawke's cabin. The conversation between the three was light and they talked for hours about what they had been up to the past year. Caitlin shared the news of her new business and Doc described how his little community was now thriving.

After dinner and a few drinks, Doc's tone turned a little more serious. "Cait, can we take a walk on the beach? I really need to talk to you about some things. I'm sorry, Stacey, you don't mind do you?"

"Of course I don't mind. You two go ahead. I'm meeting up with my boyfriend in a few minutes anyway." She smiled and excused herself from the table.

Caitlin's mind raced as they walked along the boardwalk and onto the beach. They had talked about a lot that night but one subject was never brought up. Hawke and Dom. Not once had he mentioned them to her. But on the other hand, she hadn't brought them up either. "Is everything alright with you?" she asked.

"Yeah" he hesitated. "I just need to ask you something and I felt it best to talk one on one."

They walked a little further down the beach before he continued. "Caitlin, I need your help with something. I can't discuss it here or yet, but I need you to come back to the west coast with me tonight."

Caitlin suddenly felt light headed. She wanted excitement in her life again. She longed for it. But, she had responsibilities now. How could she just take off and leave?

Doc continued, "Stacey said you had the weekend off. I know you have your work here now but this is really important."

Without further hesitation, she agreed. "Okay, if it's that important. I'll come with you. But, I really do need to know what this is all about."

"Cait, I promise, I'll tell you as soon as I can. Please trust me." He smiled and wrapped his arm around her waist as they headed back up to the bar.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Two hours after her dinner with Doc, Caitlin couldn't believe she was flying back to the west coast with him. She didn't know why it surprised her that he flew himself out to Florida. What really surprised her is that he came for her. He wanted her help. "Why? How can I help him?" she thought. The longer the trip went on, the more nervous she became. "I have so many memories there. So many things left unresolved."

Doc sensed her uneasiness. "Are you okay?" he asked. "Look, I'm sorry for all the secrecy. But, I promise it'll all make sense soon enough."

"Oh, it's not that. I know you wouldn't have come for me if it wasn't important." Caitlin tried to smile. "It's just that….I didn't leave on the best of terms."

Not sure on how to reply, Doc decided to choose his words carefully. 'Yeah, I heard that you and Hawke had a falling out of some sort."

Caitlin shifted sideways in her seat and grabbed a blanket that Doc had given her when they boarded. Doc was afraid he had overstepped his boundaries because she took a few moments before responding.

"Well", she said. "I think falling out is kind of putting it mildly. I'd say it was more like World War Three between the two of us."

"Why? What happened?" he asked

"I'm not really sure. I mean, things were going great. I was content. I loved working at Santini Air. I could've stayed for years. But, little by little I got the impression that Hawke didn't' want me there anymore. He became distant. He ignored me most of the time and then he just stopped talking to me altogether. When I tried to confront him, it got worse."

Doc glanced over at her. He could see the pain was still there. He could tell she was holding back tears. "I'm sorry to hear that," he said.

Caitlin took a deep breath. "Well, one night after a big blow out, Dom and I had a heart to heart talk. We both agreed it would best for me to leave. So, I packed up my things and moved back to Texas. I never even said goodbye. That was the last that I saw them."

"You were an important part of that team Caitlin," Doc insisted. "Don't ever forget that. You helped a lot of people. They couldn't have done half the things they did without you."

"I appreciate the vote of confidence," she replied. "It wasn't until I heard about what had happened to them that I finally got my butt in gear and moved on with my life. I guess you can say it fueled my decision to move to Florida and get a fresh start. I didn't really belong in Texas anymore and I realized I never really belonged in California either."

"Well, we're not exactly going to California just yet," he responded. "We have a stopover in Utah."

"Utah? Why, Utah?"

The way she said it made Doc laugh. "What so wrong with Utah?" he asked.

She pulled the blanket up tighter and shifted in her seat again. "Nothing, I just wasn't expecting that."

Doc smiled. "We are going to be staying with a friend of mine tonight. I'll give you more details of our mission tomorrow."

"Mission?" Caitlin thought. "That's the first time he used the word mission. What in the world is going on?"

"Tomorrow, you get to see an old friend," he continued. "A lady that you probably never thought you'd see again."

And there it was. The one question Caitlin had but for some reason was too afraid to ask. She was going to get a chance to fly in Airwolf again.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Morning came quickly and Caitlin was reenergized. She grew anxious as she waited for Doc to gather his things. They got into a small car and headed out to a remote area of town. Then, they waited.

"How long do we have to wait?" she asked, trying to hide her excitement. "Who's flying her?"

"It shouldn't be long now," he replied. "You'll see soon enough."

A few moments later, she saw it. At first it was just a small shimmer of light, a mere speck in the sky. But as it came closer, it took her breath away. Just like it had done years before when she first saw that black battleship with rotors. She realized at that moment how much she still missed her lost friends and how much she still loved the men that became like family to her.

Suddenly, Caitlin retreated back into the car.

"Caitlin, what's wrong?" asked Doc. "Are you okay?"

Tears ran down her face. "I can't do this, Doc. I just can't do this without them. It's too hard. We were a team, Hawke, Dom, and I. I loved being a crew member of Airwolf but it wasn't just about the Lady. It was about them."

"And it's about them now," came a reply that sounded all too familiar to Caitlin. "It's about them now, Cait."

Caitlin climbed out of the car and hugged her old friend. "Michael! It's so good to see you!" She couldn't believe her eyes. "What's going on here Michael?"

Michael grabbed Caitlin by arm and escorted her to the helicopter. Doc was already inside. "I'll explain everything as soon as we're up. It's a long story."

Caitlin took a deep breath to calm her nerves. She tried hard to push down her anxiety and the sadness she felt. As soon as she slipped back into her old spot within Airwolf, a calm feeling overcame her. Although she'd been gone over a year, everything felt the same. Everything except now Doc was flying Airwolf instead of Hawke. She longed to understand why he had pushed her away. Maybe she could have fixed things. Maybe she should have stayed. Her mind was racing from one thought to another. "What did he mean when he said it was about them now", she thought.

She finally spoke up. "Okay, guys. I've been patient long enough. One of you needs to tell me what's going on here."

Michael looked back at her and smiled. "I appreciate you coming Caitlin. I'm sorry that I've had to keep you in the dark but it's been for the safety of all involved. We're on a rescue mission. Doc and I can't do it alone and you are the only other person that can fly Airwolf that I trust. Besides, I knew you'd have just as much at stake in this mission as anyone else."

"What are you talking about Michael? What do you mean?" she replied.

"Caitlin, Dom and Hawke are still alive. At least they were three days ago. They've been working undercover down in Mexico for the past year. "

Cait felt the blood drain from her face. For a moment she felt dizzy. "What about the explosion? They said Dom was killed and Hawke, well….."

"There was an explosion", Michael interrupted her. "They were nearly killed. We didn't know for sure who was behind it so we made it look like the bombing was a success. Hawke and Dom were working on something for me right before it happened."

Now Caitlin was furious. "How could you let me go on believing all this time that they were dead? Do you have any idea what I've been through? The memory of that phone call has haunted me every day since."

"I'm sorry Cait, but it was for your own safety. This job started out more dangerous than anything we've ever encountered. We thought we had it all tied up. One of our contacts was supposed to meet them three days ago. They never showed. Plan B was to pick them up at a special rendezvous spot. We're just not sure they'll be able to get there. That's where you come in. You're going to be our support in the air while we go in and look for them."

Mixed feelings overcame her. She was happy they were still alive but angry that she had been left in the dark for so long. She had replayed the day she left Santini Air over and over in her mind. She remembered how devastated she was when she got the phone call saying her friends were gone. Now, here she was, going off to rescue them. It was so surreal. "What if we don't make it in time? I don't think I can handle going through that again," she thought.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Caitlin listened intently as Michael went over the plans for rescuing Hawke and Dom. He explained that he and Doc were going to enter a small border town that was the agreed meeting place in case the men couldn't get out of Mexico by other means. Caitlin was to be the air support and escort. Since they all couldn't fly out in Airwolf, Marella would be meeting up with them and waiting with Caitlin.

"If all goes well Caitlin," said Michael, "You'll be flying out with Hawke and Dom and Marella will pick up Doc and me."

"Just like old times," she whispered to herself.

Doc continued explaining the plans. "Now Cait, if we don't come back in twenty four hours, you and are Marella are to leave and go home."

"That's right," Michael added. "We don't want anything to happen to the two of you. If we get in trouble, you two are our only hope. You'll have to go for help. Marella will know who to contact."

Doc was adamant, "You need to promise me that you'll leave Cait. Hawke will kill me for dragging you into this if you get hurt."

"You and me both," quipped Michael. "The plan was to keep you out of this for your safety. I just felt that I had no other choice at this point. Bringing you in now seemed to be the best solution."

Caitlin was silent for a long time after that. Both men knew what she was thinking but they waited for her to ask.

"So, my leaving Santini Air was planned, wasn't it? They wanted me out of the way."

"They wanted you safe," replied Michael. "There just wasn't any other way."

She didn't know why, but his words made her angrier than she'd ever been. "They didn't think I could handle myself? Hadn't I proven to them that I could take care of myself? Why would they do that to me?" She held back the tears that were welling up in her eyes.

"Come on Cait, you know better than that," said Doc. "You mean the world to them."

Michael continued. "This mission has saved thousands of lives. I wish I could explain more but right now, that's all I can say. But, they weren't willing to do it if it meant putting you in danger. They knew you wouldn't just leave. They had to find a way to make you want to leave. After the bombing, they knew they made the right decision."

It was sundown by the time they met up with Marella. They quickly covered the helicopters to keep them from being spotted in the air and Michael and Doc set off to locate their friends.

Marella and Cait waited inside Airwolf for protection. Caitlin was tired and emotionally drained. She had learned so much in the last twenty four hours. Everything she thought she knew wasn't as it seemed. "I should have known that it didn't make sense for Hawke to push me away like that," she told Marella. "It just wasn't like him. It broke my heart."

"It hurt him too," Marella responded. "I mean, he didn't say anything but I could tell."

"Well, I don't care what they say," Caitlin protested. "I'm not leaving here without them. If they don't come back in time, I'm going in."

Marella smiled. "I figured you wouldn't. I didn't tell Michael but I came up with a backup plan for us just in case. I don't want to leave without them either."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Dom paced back and forth in the small room of an abandoned home that he and String had taken refuge in. "Man String, I hope help gets here soon."

Stringfellow Hawke was sitting on a small cot in the corner of the room. He watched his friend repeatedly look out the adjacent window. "Dom, relax. I know we missed our contact, but Michael said he'd meet us here if that happened. Give him time."

"I'm trying, but this isn't the way this was all supposed to go. You know Michael can't come with the Lady alone, don't you?"

Hawke shrugged his shoulders. "We talked about that. In the event of an emergency, he said he'd contact Doc. So, quit worrying. If they aren't here soon, we'll find another way out."

Dom finally pulled a chair up to the window and sat down. He was exhausted and it was obvious to Hawke that the work they had done over the past year had taken a huge toll on his friend.

"I'll quit worrying when we get out of here," he replied. "This information we have is going to take down a lot of people. I just hope Michael keeps his side of the bargain when all is said and done."

String sat down on the cot and leaned back against the wall, pulling his legs up to his chest. "It's getting chilly in here," he said.

"Quit trying to change the subject, String," said Dom. "I swear Archangel had better not back down on this after all we've been through."

"Look Dom, I don't want him to back down on his promise either. I would have never gone through with this if he didn't swear to me that he could get access to more detailed information on St. John. But, the more we got involved down here, the more important all this became. Seeing the faces of those young girls and knowing that somehow I could help them made it worthwhile."

"I agree with you on that part String," Dom replied. "It's just shocking how high up in both governments that this human trafficking thing really is. I don't know how these people can live with themselves."

"Money," Hawke said flatly. "And power."

Dom got back up out of his chair and began pacing again. "What if we lose the gamble we took? What if she doesn't forgive us?"

Hawke closed his eyes and sighed. He'd thought of her everyday they were gone. He didn't realize how much he loved having her around until she no longer was. From the day Caitlin walked back into their lives, he knew she belonged with them. She just fit.

"If we hadn't done it that way, they'd have gone after her," he replied. "You know that making it look like she didn't mean anything to us was the only way. Hopefully, someday she'll understand that. Knowing that she's safe is the only thing that matters right now."

"Boy is she gonna be mad," replied Dom.

String opened his eyes and smiled at his friend. "I know."


	6. Chapter 6

_Thanks for all of the reviews!_

Chapter 6

Hawke, still stretched out on the small cot, had drifted off to sleep when he was suddenly awakened by Dom's yell. "String! Someone's coming!"

String jumped up and looked out the window. "Looks like a woman," he replied.

Both men carefully slipped to the side of the window so they could watch the jeep coming up the dirt road and avoid being seen by the visitor. The car tires kicked up a lot of dirt so it wasn't until she got closer that the men were able to get a better look at the driver.

"String, maybe my eyes are getting old and playing tricks on me but I think that looks like Marella," said Dom.

Hawke smirked at his friend. "Well, your eyes are definitely getting old, but that is Marella. Something must have gone wrong. Michael would never send her in here alone."

Dom opened the front door and the two men hurried down the walkway to meet her.

"Come on, get in. We don't have a lot time," she insisted.

"Nice to see you too, Marella," Dom replied.

The two men climbed into the jeep and they quickly headed away from the house.

"What's going on, Marella?" asked Hawke. "Where's Michael?"

Without taking her eyes off of the road, Marella began to explain the situation to the men.

"Well," she said. "Do you want the good news or the bad news first?"

"Ladies choice," replied Hawke. "I just want all of it."

"The bad news is that Michael and Doc are in the local jail. They are accused of drug smuggling."

"What? How in the world did that happened?" asked Dom.

Marella continued. "We needed someone local to help us get to you. Doc has a friend here and he only trusted Doc. So, they both went to see him for help. The problem is that some of the local law enforcement got suspicious and showed up there right after Michael and Doc. Doc's friend had to find some excuse for them being there and he certainly wasn't going to say that he was helping them find fugitives."

"He said they were trying to sell drugs?" Hawke asked. "What's the good news in that?"

"Well, their being incarcerated kept the officials distracted. As a result, I was able to get in and meet with Doc's friend. It took awhile to get him to trust me or I would've been here sooner."

"That doesn't sound like a good plan from the start. How could they leave you and Airwolf alone like that? Not unless you've learned how to fly her?" asked Dom.

Marella became slightly anxious. She wasn't sure how to break the news to them. Hawke would definitely be angry. So, she tried to change the subject. "We don't have a lot of time," she replied. "Eventually they will figure it out. I've got a plan to get them out but we have to get to Airwolf quick."

A sick feeling overcame Hawke. "You didn't answer Dom's question. Do you know how to fly Airwolf? Answer me!"

"No," she replied. "No, I don't know how to fly her. And, no, Michael wouldn't leave me alone without someone being able to fly us out of here. We were supposed to leave if they didn't come back in twenty four hours. We just couldn't do that. So, here I am."

Dom closed his eyes and shook his head. "No! He didn't, did he?"

Hawke was furious. "Michael promised me! He said she would never be brought into this!

Marellla pulled the jeep in between the two helicopters. "Look, he didn't have a choice. It's too late to argue about this now. What's done is done."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Caitlin sat inside Airwolf and waited patiently for Marella and hopefully, all the others to return. She had butterflies in her stomach. Her feelings were mixed. She missed them so much and was so happy to know they were alive. But, the last time she saw Hawke they had a huge fight. "Staged," she thought. "I know now it was staged but it still hurts. Why didn't he trust that I could take care of myself?"

The waiting was becoming difficult for Caitlin and she became worried after Marella was gone longer than planned. "Where are they?" she thought. "Plan C is for me to leave and I don't want to leave here without them. I can't leave without them now. Come on Marella, where are you?"

Suddenly, she heard someone coming. She quickly got out and removed the camouflage tarp and jumped back into Airwolf in order to prepare to take off quickly, if necessary.

She watched intently as the vehicle got closer and closer. Finally, she saw them. Marella had made it back with Hawke and Dom.

As the jeep stopped between the two helicopters, Caitlin froze. She sat still and suddenly felt she couldn't move. She could tell String was having a heated conversation with Marella. He looked angry. "He doesn't want me here," she thought. "Why did I come? I finally moved on and have a new life. What in the world draws me to them….to him?"

Hawke continued arguing with Marella as Dom jumped out of the jeep and headed over to Airwolf.

"Michael had better pray that nothing happens to that girl," he said. "Or he's going to wish we left him in that jail."

Marella didn't have time to respond before Hawke jumped out of the jeep and followed behind Dom. Both men looked up at Caitlin who seemed to be reluctant to move. Slowly, she opened the door and jumped out of the helicopter.

Dom rushed up to her and pulled her into a bear hug. He held her so tight she almost couldn't breathe. "I've missed you," he said.

Tears ran down her face. "I thought you were dead," she replied. "Thank God you're safe. I've missed you so much too."

Hawke held back a few feet from the two and watched the exchange. He didn't know what he was going to say to her. There was no time to explain it all. They still had friends in danger. The reunion between Dom and Cait seemed to take forever. But, finally Dom let go of her and there she was, face to face with him.

They stood looking at each other for what seemed like an eternity to Caitlin. She didn't know what to say to him. He had pushed her away. She was led to believe he died. And now, here he was, right in front of her after all this time. When she looked into his eyes, the coldness she had once seen was gone. He looked sad to her. "No, she thought," he looks devastated. It was a look she only saw once when he thought he had killed Dom. Suddenly she felt the walls she had put up all these months come down.

"I'm sorry," was all he said before grabbing her and pulling her into a hug. She wrapped her arms tightly around him and hugged him back.

String loosened his grip on her just enough to look at her face. She couldn't stop the flow of tears even though she was trying hard to hold them back. He took his hand and brushed them away. It devastated him at how much he had hurt her. It was easier for him when she wasn't around. He could justify it as keeping her safe. But, right now, with her in his arms, he realized what he'd done.

To Caitlin's surprise, Hawke leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips before pulling her back into a tight hug. Her mind was racing with so many questions. There were so many things about this mission and what had happened between them that she needed to know. So many things she had to ask. But, she knew it wasn't the time. "I need to get myself together," she thought. "All of this will have to come later."

Marella interrupted the reunion. "I hate to break this up but we still need to work on our plan to get Doc and Michael out of jail."

Caitlin pulled away from Hawke and looked at Marella. "What happened? How did they end up in jail?"

Marella explained the events of the day to Caitlin and the four began planning out how they were going to rescue their friends and finally get back home.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

It was decided that the group needed to wait until morning to go in and rescue their friends. Doc's friend had informed Marella that she could represent the two men with their legal issue. He had given her a map of the building they would be held in which included a conference room that they would be moved to in order to meet with her. Hawke would blow a hole in the side of this room with Airwolf and the trio could escape. Caitlin would fly in with Marella's helicopter to pick them all up while Hawke and Dom would protect and escort them out of there.

They decided to get some rest while they waited. Hawke and Dom climbed into Airwolf while Marella and Cait got into the other craft. Hawke found it hard to get any sleep. Not only was Dom's snoring a problem, but he couldn't get Caitlin out of his mind.

"Dom, you awake?" Hawke asked. "Dom!"

"Huh? What is it?" Dom sleepily replied. "Is it time to go?"

Hawke shifted in his seat and looked back at him. "No, we still have a few hours."

"Then why did you wake me!" yelled Dom. "I was dreaming I was home in my own bed."

Hawke chuckled, "I can't sleep. I can't get this stuff with Caitlin out of my mind and well, your snoring isn't helping much."

"Ah, don't worry about it String," Dom stifled a yawn. "I know you're worried about her being here but there isn't anything we can do about that now. Hopefully, in a few days, this will all be over."

"I just wish Doc and Michael had left her alone," Hawke replied. "I mean, I would've gone to her when the timing was right. I wanted to explained things to her on my own terms. All I could say to her tonight was that I was sorry."

Dom sat up in his seat and focused on is friend. "She knew you meant it. She's a smart girl. Give her some credit. Believe me she'll make sure you explain it all to her later."'

String smiled. "Yeah, you're probably right. It's just that she was so quiet when we were going over the plans. That's not like her."

"Well, she's had a lot to take in these past few days," Dom said in a low reply. "Give her time."

Dom fell back asleep before Hawke could comment further.

A few hours later, the men were awakened by a tap on the window. The women were up and ready to go. Marella headed into town as the others prepared for the rescue.

To her surprise, Marella had no problems getting in and obtaining a meeting with Doc and Michael. "This is almost too easy," she thought. "I sure hope this works."

While in the meeting room, she kept her story going and made sure that the men followed along in case they were being monitored. "So," she said. "Are you guilty of what they say you've done? If you want me to represent you, I need to know the truth."

Doc spoke up. "Look, we were considering it as a way to make extra money. But, we didn't do anything. When is considering something a crime?"

"Yeah," replied Michael. "We were desperate. We just needed option, that's all."

Marella whispered under her breath, "Get to the west wall. Hawke's going to blow a hole on the east side and get us out of here."

Doc and Michael were relieved by her comment. Not only were they getting out of there, but their friends were safe. They quickly stood up and all three huddled against the wall on the opposite side of the room. It was none too soon as the blast came quickly. The trio got up and climbed outside through the gap made by the explosion.

All hell seemed to break loose afterwards. Caitlin landed her helicopter and the others rushed to get in while Hawke and Dom covered them in Airwolf. Men with semi-automatic weapons appeared and rained shots into Caitlin's craft and towards Airwolf. After what seemed like an eternity, Caitlin's helicopter lifted off and headed away from the area with Airwolf following.

"Where not done yet," Dom yelled. "We've got two bogies on our tail."

They were no match for Airwolf. Hawke and Dom quickly took care of the opposing aircraft and turned back to follow their friends.

A few moments later, Marella contacted them on the radio. "Hawke," she said. "Hawke, we have problem."

"What is it Marella? Everyone made it on board didn't they?" he replied.

"Yeah, everyone is on board. But, it's Caitlin. She's been hit. Doc's taking care of her but we need to get her to a hospital."

Hawke felt the blood drain from his face. "No," he thought. "This can't be happening."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Hawke and Dom had to secure Airwolf before meeting the others at the Firm's hospital. Hawke was growing furious and by the time he got there, Dom couldn't reason with him.

They walked down the long corridor towards the ICU. Michael and Marella were waiting for more news on Caitlin. Hawke approached him and before Michael could say a word, he punched him squarely in the jaw.

Archangel's men quickly stepped in and grabbed Hawke.

"Let him go," yelled Michael as he rubbed his chin. "I deserved that."

"You deserve more," scowled Hawke. "How could you drag her into this?"

"She had a right to know the truth Hawke," Michael replied. "What were you going to do? Were you going to leave her out there in Florida, never knowing what really happened?"

"I was going to tell her on my own terms, Michael. I wanted this to all be over. All you cared about was your precious information. You got it. Now you need to put all this to rest. But in the mean time, stay away from Caitlin!"

Michael took a deep breath and leaned back against the wall. "I know you don't understand this right now but we needed her. She was the only one I trusted to fly Airwolf. In time, you'll see it was the only choice I had."

Dom, who had been silent throughout the exchange, finally spoke up. "How is she? Is it bad?"

Marella spoke up, "We haven't had a recent update. Doc is with her now. She was lucky. One bullet went through her shoulder and another just grazed her head."

"You call that lucky?" replied Hawke. "Lucky would be for her to have gotten out of there without a scratch. When can I see her?"

Doc walked in behind the group. "You can see her in a few minutes," he said. "They're moving her to a private room."

Hawke turned to look at his friend. He wanted to be angry with him for helping Michael drag Caitlin into this whole thing. But, he had been brought in at the last minute too. Besides, he did help to save Caitlin's life.

"How is she?" Hawke asked. "Praying he'd get the answer he so desperately needed to hear."

"She's going to be just fine, Hawke," replied Doc. "The bullet went right through her shoulder. She'll need some physical therapy but it's not serious. The other bullet just lightly grazed her head. We expect her to wake up soon. You can sit with her if you'd like, but only one person can see her at a time."

Hawke glanced over at Dom who was standing there patiently listening to the others. Dom smiled at Hawke. "Go ahead String," he said. "I'm going to hang out here for awhile."

Caitlin felt like she was a fog. Her head hurt and she couldn't move her left arm. "What happened to me?" she thought. "Where am I?"

Slowly, she opened her eyes. She could see that she was in a hospital. Her left arm was in a sling and she felt some numbness in her shoulder. To her right, she saw him. Hawke had pulled a chair up to her bed, facing her. His right hand was holding hers and he was sound asleep. She wanted to be angry with him for what he put her through. But, looking at him sleeping there next to her, she couldn't. She knew he cared even though he had a lousy way of showing it.

She tried to move her head but the pain was unexpected. "Ow," she said.

Her groan startled Hawke. "Cait? Are you okay?" he asked, squeezing her hand lightly. "Do you need anything?"

Caitlin's voice was hoarse. "Just for you to stay right here," she replied. "Please don't leave me."

Hawke smiled and kissed her on the forehead. "Oh, believe me. I'm not leaving alone until Michael assures me that everyone involved in our investigation is taken down and you're safe."

"Oh, okay," Caitlin replied as she drifted back to sleep.

When Caitlin woke again it was morning. She looked around the room and her heart sank when she didn't see Hawke. "Was I dreaming? She thought. "He was right here. He said he wouldn't leave me." She felt a moment of despair. "What am I doing? I was fine before I came out here and got into all this mess. I'll be fine when I go back."

Dom walked into her room and saw her lying there with a frown on her face. "Hey, he said. I'd say you look better but I've never seen such a long face."

Caitlin gave him a half hearted smile. "Sorry, I just expected Hawke to be here when I woke up. He said he wasn't going to leave."

"I see," replied Dom. "Well, don't worry. String just went up to the cabin to check on a few things. He'll be back soon. They're going to let you out of here tomorrow morning and we'll be staying up there for about a week or so until Michael gives us the all clear.

"A week?" Caitlin replied in a panic. "Oh, no! What about Stacey? I've left her all alone to take care of our business. She's never going to forgive me for being gone so long."

"Honey, don't worry," said Dom. "We've contacted her. Not only did Michael send some of his men there for protection but he also sent her some free labor. Everything's going to be okay."

Cait relaxed and Dom pulled up a chair and sat beside her. "How are you feeling?" he asked. "We were worried sick about you, ya know."

"Well, at least you didn't think I was dead for a year, only to find out it was a lie," she replied.

Dom sighed. "Yeah, you're right. I'm really sorry about that sweetheart. You know the last thing String and I ever wanted to do was to hurt you. But, there just didn't seem to be any other way."

Caitlin grabbed his hand and squeezed tightly. "I'm trying to understand Dom. I really am. I just don't know why you didn't think I could take care of myself."

Her comment took Dom by surprise. "Oh, Cait, we never thought that you couldn't take care of yourself. That was never the case. This thing just got so big and it was evident that it was more dangerous than anything we've ever done. We had already dragged you into so many dangerous situations. This time, we just refused to do that. Look, String will tell you all the details once we're safe and up at the cabin. Right now, the less you know the better. Will you please trust me on that?"

Cait studied her friend's face. He looked tired and she knew the past year had been rough on him too. "Okay," she replied. "I'll try and be patient."

Dom spent the next couple of hours with Caitlin. They talked about old times and she filled him in on what she had been up to the past year.

A new visitor finally dropped in to see her. "Cait, can I come in?" asked Doc.

Caitlin smiled. "Of course you can. I was hoping you would come by. Dom needs a break from his babysitting duties. He's getting a bit jittery. I think it's time for some coffee."

Dom grumbled at Cait. "Oh, all right. Maybe you're right. I'll be back in a little bit."

"Don't worry Dom," replied Doc. "I'll stay with her for awhile."

After Dom left the room, Doc sat in the chair that he had vacated beside Caitlin's bed. She stared at him for a moment and gave his a twisted smile. "So," she said. "It's your turn to watch me, huh?"

Doc feigned a look of shock which amused Caitlin. She couldn't help but laugh at him.

"Now that's better," he said. You sure look a lot better today. You really gave me a scare up in that helicopter."

"I'm kind of glad I didn't know what was going on," she admitted. "At least I woke up when it was all over."

Doc's expression became more serious. "Cait, I'm really sorry that I dragged you into that. I feel really bad about bringing you back here."

Caitlin shifted to a more comfortable position in her bed. "It's not your fault, Doc. I think I would have been more upset if you hadn't contacted me. I'm grateful that I finally know the truth."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Hawke came back later that night as Caitlin was falling asleep. He pulled up a chair and slept right beside her again. In the morning, when she was released he flew her up to the cabin. Besides some light chit chat, neither had really done much talking.

When they finally got to the cabin, Hawke offered Caitlin his bed but she insisted that she wasn't tired and preferred to rest on the couch awhile. Caitlin watched Hawke as he tried to do everything he could to make her comfortable. She began laughing at him and he stopped and gave her a strange look. "What's so funny?" he asked.

"You are," she replied. "I have never seen you act like this before. Hawke, I'm not a porcelain doll. I'm fine. Now will you please stop fussing over me and sit down?"

Hawke smiled and sat down beside her. "I'm sorry. It's just that you scared the hell out of me and I really thought I was going to lose you."

"I know," she replied. "Dom told me that much. By the way, where is Dom? I thought he was coming up with us?"

"He went up for some R&R at Doc's place for a few weeks," he replied. "Let's just say that Doc made him an offer that his stomach couldn't refuse."

Caitlin laughed again.

"It's nice to hear you laugh," said Hawke. "I've missed that. I've missed you." He moved closer to her on the couch.

Caitlin's felt her heartbeat increase. "I missed you too," she replied. "It all seems like just a bad dream. Now can you tell me what happened?"

Hawke had hoped for a more intimate conversation with Caitlin but he knew she'd want to know all the details of the mission and his reason for wanting her to leave. "Okay," he said. "I'll try to skip to the most important details. I think I'm going to need a cup of coffee first. Do you need anything?"

Soon he settled back beside her and began explaining the events of the last year. He told her how the explosion nearly killed them both and that it allowed them to go deep undercover in Mexico since everyone thought they were dead. It took time but they eventually found a connection with law officials there and a well known United States Senator. He was using money from a human trafficking operation to fund his upcoming election. The information they located also named two other high ranking officials. He explained that once the Firm pulled the plug on the operation and brought these officials in, they would safe. In the meantime, he felt it was best that they stay at the cabin.

"Hawke, I still don't understand why you had to lie to me and why you wanted me to leave. It hurt thinking that you didn't want me around anymore," she replied.

Hawke sighed. "I know. Picking those fights with you for no reason was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. Cait, we had put you in so many dangerous situations. You had been through so much and we nearly lost you on more than one occasion. I just couldn't take that chance with your life. Looking back now, maybe it wasn't the best decision. But, once we made that choice, we had to stick with it. I guess I just felt better knowing you were away and safe. That's why I was so angry at Michael for getting you involved."

"Oh yea, I heard about what happened," she replied. "Did ya have to hit him?"

"Okay, that wasn't my finest moment," he admitted. "But, he had it coming. He knew better."

String looked at Caitlin closely. He could tell she was getting tired. "Are you sure you don't want to go up and get some sleep?" he asked.

Cait yawned. "Yeah, maybe that would be a good idea. I think I'll just go up and take a nap. Promise to wake me in a few hours? I need to call Stacey and talk to her about when I plan to return."

Her words stung. Hawke didn't know what else to say but, "Yeah, I promise."

While Caitlin slept, Hawke brought in more wood for the fire and made a light dinner for the two of them. He had a lot on his mind. There was so much he wanted to tell her. Things he needed her to know. He didn't want her to leave again. He just got her back. But how could he stop her? He was the reason she left and moved on with her life in the first place. It was something he figured she'd have done eventually anyway. He just wasn't ready to let her go.

The aroma of Hawke's cooking awoke Caitlin from her nap. "Oh, he's making my favorite dish," she thought. "He really must feel guilty."

Caitlin thought about her new business and how so many things had changed over the past year. She had moved on with her life, yet slipping back into her old life seemed so easy. "I wasn't happy," she thought. "I wasn't happy with the way things were going. I wanted more from him than he could give in return. Going back to Florida will be for the best. Damn, why is it that my head knows what's best but my heart still belongs to String?"

Hawke heard her stirring upstairs and called out to her. "Cait?" he asked "Dinner is ready if you feel like coming down to eat."

"I'll be right down," she replied.

The two had a quiet dinner by the fire. Hawke couldn't help noticing that Caitlin spent more time pushing her food around her plate than eating.

"Not hungry?" he asked. "You've hardly touched your dinner. Does it taste okay?"

Caitlin had been deep in thought. "Oh, I'm sorry. It's great. I appreciate everything but I guess I just have a lot on my mind."

Hawke picked up their plates and placed them in the sink before coming back and sitting down beside her. He placed his hand on top of the hand she had sitting on the back of the couch. "Cait, I know you said you needed to call Stacey, but is that what you really want? Do you really want to go back to Florida?"

Caitlin pulled away from him and stood up. She walked over to the fireplace. She couldn't look at him. She was struggling to keep the tears back. "I can't stay here," she thought. "I know he cares about me but not the way I care about him. It hurts too much to keep pining away for someone I'll never have."

Hawke got up and stood beside her. He gently took her shoulder and turned her to face him. He could see the tears in her eyes. "Caitlin, I don't want you to leave. What can I say to make you stay?"

She looked up into his eyes. She wanted to tell him what he could say. She wanted him to love her, the way she loved him. But, she knew he couldn't. He didn't feel the same way, so there wasn't anything he could say.

"Nothing," she replied. "I don't think there's anything you can say."

He wasn't willing to give up. String grabbed her around the waist and pulled her closer to him. "Okay, but I know there's something I can do," he replied.

Before Caitlin could say another word, Hawke pulled her into a deep, passionate kiss. Caitlin lost herself in it. It was something she had wanted him to do for so long.

He led her over to the couch and pulled her down into his arms. For the rest of the evening, he just held her and kissed her. He didn't need to say anything. For her, it was as if all the bad memories of the past year had simply faded away. She was home and she knew it.

**The End**


End file.
